Love Hurts
by Reiven
Summary: COMPLETE. Kai/Tala. Boris blames their loss at the Championship on Tala and severely punishes him. As Tala lies deep in a coma, Kai comes. Is he too late in remembering his love for the Tala? Will he live on knowing that he couldn't save the one he loved
1. Taking over me

**Disclaimer**: You know the drill.

Used to contain lyrics to Evanescence, but deleted because of _the policy_.

It's more or less, the events of the Russian Tournament, or as I like to call it ... _The Russian Soap Opera_, as seen from Tala's POV.

**Part 1: Tala - Taking Over Me.**

* * *

_I watch with craving eyes,  
As you walk on by,  
You don't remember me,  
But your face lingers clearly in my memory ..._

Evil lurked in the darkened corridors of the Abbey; it was everywhere, behind the corner, in the cracks of the walls, even within the dorms where the students dwelled. All of them knew this, especially one specific boy, the boy who was currently tossing and turning in his sleep, haunted by nightmares of his past, and by the pain that was etched deep within his broken heart.

He suddenly bolted upright, panting hard; glimmering sweat drenched his body, plastering his fiery red hair to his pale face. This was the third nightmare he had been having since he laid his icy blue eyes on the familiar face. He sat there in quiet contemplation, his head bowed low.

'_Why Kai? Did you really forget me? Or have you found a better life? The memory of you still haunts me, in my sleep, and when I'm awake, you're there. Why can't I forget you, like you have so easily me?'_

_I believe that one day,  
We will be together once again,_

Tala stood up from his bed, wiping his brow with the back of his hand. He walked over to the small table in the corner of his room. Boris had decided that he should not be mixed up with the other boys, so he received his own room. Where he could go to be alone, to dwell in his own thoughts, where Boris could have his way with him without anyone knowing.

'_I can't go on like this anymore, Kai. This pain I feel wouldn't hurt as much if you were here to comfort me, to wipe my tears away, to give me reason to go on when I have none.'_

He pulled the table forward, and from behind it, took out a picture. He studied the picture carefully, running his fingers over one of the boys who stood smiling there. It was a picture of Kai and him taken at the Russian Circus, just weeks before Kai had left the Abbey. They had managed to get away one day from Boris' strict training and spent the whole day together there, just enjoying themselves. When they returned that night, Boris was, as expected, fuming. Both were punished. Tala was, as Boris had called it, '_disciplined'_, so badly that he couldn't walk for three days. Kai ... Tala hadn't known, because they were separated and Tala never saw Kai again, until this morning.

The beatings at the Abbeys were never this cruel. Perhaps Kai's sudden disappearance had angered Boris somehow. He had told the team that Kai had left with his grandfather for Japan, and that he would never return.

'_I looked for you. I always knew that we would meet again someday, but not like this ... I never imagined we would meet like this.'_

**--_Flashback_--**

_Tala and his team were practicing hard for the upcoming Championship. Their opponents were an unknown team called the BladeBreakers._

_Boris said that it was a sure win. They were the undefeated world champions. There was no way a raggedy underdog team would ever beat them._

_As always, Tala though that Boris was just blowing hot air._

_That was until he came. He was so grown up, of course, Tala hadn't seen him in nearly ten years, but he still looked exactly the same. The two-toned blue hair and the blood red eyes, the complete opposite of Tala who had red hair and blue eyes. Tala would have recognized him, blindfolded. As Tala's gaze continued to linger on him, the boy in question turned his attention to the redhead._

_For a split-second, their eyes met. But as soon as the moment came, it left, and Kai broke their stare and continued on with the rest of the people he was with, without a hint of recognition for Tala._

_Tala just stood there stunned. Bit by bit, he could hear the soft breaking of his heart and it hurt. Tala clutched his chest in agony, feeling a sudden sharp pain, as if someone had taken a knife to his heart and started twisting it around._

_"Kai ..."_

**--_End Flashback_--**

Have you forgotten,  
The memories we used to share,  
The moments we had,  
Back then ... I knew I loved you ...

"_Who are you?"_

In the after events of the morning, Kai had rejoined the Demolition Boys. Tala had confronted him about the events earlier and Kai had just looked at him blankly before narrowing his eyes and asking in impassive way.

"Who are you?"

As the last words were spoken, Tala sank deeper and deeper into his own subconscious-ness. He felt numb to the world around him, not realizing when he was being spoken to, unconscious to anything happening around him. Even when the news of Kai taking Bryan's place on the team reached him, he could do nothing but stare emotionlessly.

He now sat alone in his room. Accompanied only by the cold and silence that plagued the dorms. His head bowed and his eyes bore a hole in the floor, but he saw nothing, his eyes looking past the concrete forms that surrounded him and straight into darkness. The same darkness that surrounded him.

He thought about the past. The past he had shared with Kai, someone whom he loved with all his heart, someone whom he would give up his life to save, someone who had forgotten him like he meant nothing. Like the memories they shared was nothing but an empty dream, not even worth a moments notice.

Back then; Kai had made him feel like he was somebody. Like he mattered. Kai had always said that everyone was put on this earth for a reason, and Tala already knew his reason ... to love. But the person he loved had shunned him, left him. Maybe Kai had lied all this time ... maybe his parents were right about him. Maybe he really didn't deserve to live.

_I believe in what we have,  
To know that the future holds so much more,  
To find you once again,  
We will be together ... in the end ..._

Three days had passed.

Tala sat at the side of his bed.

Kai had left them ... _again_. Seems that his team had managed to convince him that they were better then the Demolition Boys. They had brainwashed him into believing them to be his enemies, whilst they were his best friends when he didn't know the meaning of friends. That was what Boris had said.

Tala had always known better than to believe anything Boris says, but this time, his hurt multiplied with his anger had blinded his vision ... his ability to tell the difference from lies and truths.

He hated Kai. He hated the BladeBreakers. He hated the world. All Tala knew was his pain.

The World Championships was starting tomorrow and Boris had finished giving them a pep talk. If they should lose the tournament, they would lose everything. They all knew what Boris meant by the term. They have seen many of their comrades fall at the hands of the evil man. For years, the Abbey Bladers have dominated they Russian Beyblade circuit, they have retained their titles again and again. There _were_ those selected few that had cost the Abbey the championship on a few occasions. Tala didn't know what happened to them, but rumors have it that on one dark night, they had just ... _disappeared._

For them, this was a win all or lose all situation, and none of them cared to experience the latter.

'_If you had asked it of me before, Kai, I would have happily handed the championship to you on a silver platter. Of course, you would never accept. But given the current situation. I can't afford to lose. The team is depending on me, and I can't let them down. I really wish that you would be my opponent in the final match. Then ... we will see whose the best. I'll make you pay for abandoning us ... for abandoning me. Soon ..."_

_I see you in everything,  
You face haunts me in my sleep,  
In my wake,  
I look in the mirror,  
You image comes back to haunt me ..._

Tala looked at his reflection in the mirror. Icy blue orbs stared back through the mirror. Ones that were wet, and shining with unshed tears. Tears that had been held in for so long.

_'We lost ... I lost ...' _

Tala cried tears of pain. Tears of regret and grief. Now they were in for it.

'_I lost ... to a loudmouth glutton. I've let down my team.' _

Boris was on the warpath, looking for people to hurt. His target ... the defeated team. Tala.

Tala raised his head slightly; looking straight at him was the infamous blood-red eyes. They were shining with laughter, mockery, as Kai and his team were obviously doing now at the loss of the undefeated Demolition Boys.

Tala could no longer think straight. It was as if he was staring straight at the unfeeling face of death, which was not so much farther from the truth. Boris was coming, and behind him loomed the grim reaper. It was as if Boris was his messenger, and he was marking him for an early death.

Tala did not care to be honest. He had lost the only thing that kept his will to live, burning. And now he was gone, taking Tala's strength and will power with him.

His expression for a split second turned to rage. He balled up his fist and punched the mirror with everything he had. It shattered into a million piece; finally for once, it was reflecting the truth. Reflecting Tala's heart.

The broken shards embedded into his hand, dripping fresh blood onto the floor. Tala ignored the pain shooting up his hand and instead, focused his attention on his blood. He raised his hand and marveled at the deadly shade that was slowly soaking his sleeve red.

'_Ironic, isn't it, Kai. That I had fallen for those beautiful orbs of yours, those blood red eyes that only you posses. The same colour eyes of the liquid that runs through my veins, keeping me alive, just like you keep my heart alive ... I damn you for making me feel like this. I hate you, Kai.'_

Tala could heard the heavy footsteps nearing his door. There was quite a few, so Tala assumed that Boris had brought the guards with him.

'I hope you'll live happier after I'm gone, Kai. I hope you find happiness. So long ... my love ...' 

_You're surrounding me,  
Suffocating me,  
You own me ..._

..._I promised myself that this wouldn't bother me ... that I would keep myself from getting hurt by him again. It's funny how things work out in your life, how fate decides to deal you an evil hand. I would have laughed ... if only these tears would just stop flowing._

* * *

**End Part 1.**


	2. My last breath

**Disclaimer**: Need I say it again?

Warning! Vague description of rape and torture ahead.

**Part 2: Kai - My Last Breath.**

* * *

_'We won ...'_

Kai still couldn'y believe the fact that the worthless team he had, at first refused to join, was now the world champions. Tyson ... Kai shook his head at the thought at the loudmouth. Tyson had actually managed to defeat Tala, probably the best blader that the Abbey had ever produced. The BladeBreakers had shown their worth last night during the heart stopping final match.

However, something was still bugging Kai about Tala. He didn't seem concentrated on the match as much as he should. At first, Kai hadn't remembered Tala, but as he ventured deeper into the mysterious Abbey, more and more pieces of his fragmented memory was falling into place. He had remembered that once upon a time, he too had been trained at the Abbey. That he had befriended Tala and the other Demolition Boys, in fact, he would go so far as to call them best friends. Something more then he would ever call the BladeBreakers.

He liked his team; they were a good bunch of people, however, Kai just didn't feel the same connection to them as he does to the Demolition Boys, especially to Tala. He understood why he was the person he is today, what changed him from the carefree kid that he had been once upon a time. Tala and him have always had a kinship with each other.

_'Tala ...'_

Kai just couldn't keep his mind away from the redhead. He loved Tala, but he had always known that his feelings for Tala runs deeper than brotherly love. Kai loved Tala. Kai never said it aloud though, not knowing how the boy would react to his confession. But deep down, he knew that Tala felt the same way. Then why has he never said it before?

The truth of the whole matter was Kai was scared ... yes he was scared of rejection.

After the circus incident, Kai had been absolutely sure about his hidden feelings. He had promised himself that he would confess to Tala that night, but the moment never came. The last thing Kai remembered was Black Dranzer.

When they had come to Russia for the tournament, Kai knew something was missing ... but he didn't have the slightest clue as to what it was. Then they ran into the boy, Alexander, and everything started from there. He had met Tala again, but he couldn't remember who he was. He could see the rejection shining in the other boys' eyes, and felt a pang of guilt deep in his heart. He wanted to apologize, but his team was close so he did the only thing he could ... he walked away.

He regretted it now.

As the time passed after Kai had rejoined the Demolition Boys, he discovered that the longer he stayed in the Abbey, more and more things started to look a lot clearer. He remembered things and people. He remembered ... Tala. God, how he regretted what he had done to Tala. His own heart broke as he remembered the sadness in those icy blue orbs of his love. He wished he could take it back, the rejection, the words he had said to him. Tala had confronted him about how he acted but Kai just blew him off, asking instead who he was. People would say that he could not be blamed for that for he had truly no memory of Tala. But Kai blamed himself.

After most of his memory returned, he had tried to talk to Tala, but the redhead avoided him, and the only time they were together, there was no privacy. Kai knew as he left, that he was leaving the bad blood between himself and Tala unresolved, but he could not help it.

_'Forgive me, Tala.'_

Kai was shaken out of his thoughts by the voice of Rei's. Only then had he realized that the others had returned from lunch, and were now cluttered in front of the television set. The other teams had returned home and the BladeBreakers were set to catch their flight at three o'clock, so they were spending their time eating and catching a last glimpse of the landscapes and buildings.

Kai didn't feel like indulging in Tyson's idiotic antics today and decided to take a walk. As he was about to leave he noticed Tyson surfing the channel and as he passed through the News, Kai caught a glimpse of red. He hurriedly told Tyson to turn back to the channel.

There, on the screen in front of him, was a picture of the Captain of the Demolition Boys. Kai told Tyson to turn up the volume. Kai listened intently as the Newscaster read out something he had feared; Tala was badly injured and had been admitted to the Russian International Hospital. Kai waited expectantly for the person to continue, but she didn't mention why Tala had been injured and how, but deep in his heart ... Kai knew.

_'Boris!'_

Kai didn't realize when Rei limped up and put his hand on his shoulder. He never told his teammates about his feeling towards the Demolition Boys captain, but he had suspected that they had found out by the way he threw glances Tala's way during the tournament. Kai had felt uncomfortable to tell them that he's been harboring feeling for another boy, but on day, Rei had come up to him and told him that he too has been having feelings for someone. He didn't say it in that way, but it came down all the same.

Kai didn't realize it, but the next thing he knew, they were all on a bus headed towards the hospital.

_'Tala ... please don't die ...'_

_----_

Kai sat impatiently as Mr. Dickinson talked with the doctor who was treating Tala. He had come together with Tyson's father and grandfather as soon as he heard the news on TV. Kai sat solemnly on the stiff chairs. His gaze once and a while traveled to the chairs opposite him where Max was sitting next to Tyson. Kai's keen eyes didn't miss the fact that Max's hand was gripped firmly in Tyson's, who sat there not a spark of joyfulness shining in his eyes. Tyson kind of liked Tala ...actually, respected was more the word. But he also liked his captain, and it pained him to see Kai's impassive face showing signs of sadness.

Rei was sitting in the far corner, alone. When Kai doesn't notice, Rei's gaze would sometimes linger on him. Kenny on the other hand, was sitting two seats from Max and Tyson, gripping Dizzi close to his chest.

Kai's head shot-up when he heard Mr. Dickinson and the doctor walk into the waiting room, his eyes showed signs of age and his expression ... one of distress. He motioned to the doctor to explain the seriousness of the situation.

Boris had been outraged by the loss of his team, and decided to take matters into his own hands. All four of them were punished brutally, but Tala, whom Boris had been expecting to win with flying colours, was the worst off. The doctor had given him a thirty percent chance of survival. And even by the slightest possibility that he would make it through the ordeal, who knows in what state his mind would be.

Kai couldn't bear to listen as the doctor described the grueling details of what had been done to Tala. In his mind, he tried to block out the voice, but succeeding instead to imagine every single torment Tala had gone through.

_'Beaten ... whipped into unconsciousness ... serious head and spinal injuries ...'_

Kai squeezed his eyes shut as the doctor said the one thing he had been dreading to hear.

_'Sodomized ...'_

Kai could not keep it all in. He shouted to the doctor to stop, his aura glowed of anger as the tears flowed freely down his cheek and falling to the floor in tiny droplets of anguish. All the mental images were too much for him to bear. Imagining his love being tortured in such a cruel and inhumane way was unbearable. He asked the doctor to let him see Tala. The doctor looked at him with sympathy and nodded his head.

He followed the doctor out the door, not bearing to look at the others.

Kai stood stiffly at the entrance to the ICU where Tala currently lay, comatose.

Kai felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to the face of the doctor, who Kai only now realized was a woman. She smiled warmly at him and gently nudged him forward into the room.

Kai inhaled and walked in, what beheld him brought tears to his eyes.

In the middle of the white room was Tala. His already pale face was even whiter, giving him a surreal look. He had a bandage wrapped around his forehead and over his left eye, which was now soaked in blood. The only part of his face that was visible was his right eye and cheek. Kai could clearly see the marks and bruising on his face that was caused by Boris' whip.

Leading out of his mouth and throat was a tube, which was connected to the ventilator machine by a clear blue hose. It was held in place by three strips of surgical tape. A tube had also been entered down his nostril and into his stomach to keep him nourished. His neck was held rigid by a stiff looking neck brace that prevented him from moving his head. His left arm was in a white cast by his side, an IV needle protruding from his inner elbow.

He wasn't wearing any clothes and the blanket only covered him till his waist so Kai could see all the scars, new and old that littered his chest and side. His stomach and ribs were taped up and over his heart was a pad that monitored his heartbeat. Half his side was black and blue, and Kai could only imagine the pain he could have been feeling if he was conscious. The only sounds heard in the room were of the ventilator and the heart monitor.

Kai choked back a sob at the fragile state of his love. He went over and grabbed Tala's right hand in both of his.

_'He feels so cold.'_

He kneeled down on the floor still gripping Tala's hand firmly but gently and leaned his head on their clutched hands.

"I'm sorry, Tala. I'm so sorry," He said quietly as he stroked Tala's right hand, "don't leave me. I need you Tala; I want you to be here to love me, like I've loved you for so long. Please ..." He lowered his lips onto Tala's hand and kissed it before burrowing his head into the redheads' chest. His shoulders shook slightly with suppressed sob's as he stayed by his love's side.

He quietly called out Tala's name.

Oblivious to Kai's woes, Tala didn't stir, nor did he seem to notice the presence beside him. But deep inside, he felt Kai's pain. From the corners of his closed eyes, a single tear shimmered in the light before rolling down the side of his face and sunk into the pillow ... into nothingness.

**--Flashback--**

_Tala could only stare into the raging eyes of the feared director of the Abbey. Both his hands were chained high above his head and he had to painfully balance his weight on his toes. Blood was streaming down corners of his mouth and from below his hairline. His left eyes had a long tear at the side and stretched out until his ear, making him unable to open it. Boris had decided to let the guards have a hand at him first. His shirt was torn off as the result of the perverted guards who found pleasure with most of the boys of the abbey. Of course, non-could compare to Tala, so it had been a privilege for the guards to have a go at him._

_Tala took in painful gasps of air, making it clear that a few of his broken ribs had punctured his lungs. His throat felt raw as he coughed up large amounts of blood._

_Boris smiled evilly. He raised his whip high in the air and brought it down with brutal force upon Tala's back, splitting open a the flesh and causing a massive amount of blood to rush out. Tala bit back a scream, and in the process, biting his lip causing a new wound to open._

_This went on for another few hours in which Tala would pass out from agonizing pain and exhaustion and Boris would wake him using smelling salt. Boris showed no mercy, and Tala showed no fear. This angered Boris, causing him to use even more brutal force. By the end, Tala could no longer stand, and was only held up by his arms. It was only three hours later that Boris relented and ordered the guards to release him._

_Tala collapsed to the ground in a heap, not moving because of the horrific pain that was shooting through his body. The excruciating pains that breathing caused, made his body shudder with every breath he took. He could vaguely hear Boris order the guards to leave._

_He no longer had any strength to move any part of his body, so he just lay there, waiting whatever that was to come. Tala now lingered in between conscious and unconsciousness. Before he passed out completely, he felt Boris flipping him over; earning him a sharp gasps of pain, and saw that Boris was completely naked. He felt Boris loom over him and when he started kissing him passionately. He could do nothing to stop it, so he just closed his eyes, waiting for death to finally come for him. As his eyes dimmed, he called out one last time for someone to save him from his fate, for someone he's been dreaming of for so long._

_'Kai ... help me ...'_

_Tala felt Boris' hands venture lower down his body and found it between his thighs. He stroked Tala, causing him to moan in pain and discomfort. Tala could only barely keep himself awake. He realized that no one was coming, that he was all alone in his suffering. Kai wasn't there ... he wasn't coming. Tala finally closed his eyes. Drifting off into his dreams where Kai was, waiting for him. Praying that this time, he wouldn't wake up from it._

_If Tala had stayed awake for a little longer, he would have realized that someone had indeed come to save him. Someone he would have never expected ... it seemed that Kai couldn't make it, and he had sent some messenger of his blood to save his one true love._

**--End Flashback--**

Three hours had passed.

Kai still had not moved from his position at Tala's bedside, his hands still intertwined with Tala's.

Mr. Dickinson had stopped by to see how Tala was doing, and asked Kai to get some rest, but was only replied by silence. He gave up after a few tries and left the two of them alone.

Kai raised his head a little. His left hand let go of Tala's, the other still holding firmly to the other. He reached over and brushed the lose bangs out of his eyes. Kai looked intently at Tala, his hand moving unconsciously to stroke the other boys jaw with his thumb, up his cheekbone and lingered near his closed eyes. He used the back of his hand to caress his cheek a few times more and moved to his hair.

"Tala ..." he ran his hand through Tala's red hair. "You don't have to be afraid anymore. I'm here ... I'll protect you from now on," he smiled warmly as he comforted the unconscious boy.

All of a sudden, his heart skipped a beat when he felt Tala gripping his hands, light as it was, but Kai felt it.

"Tala?" Kai called out to him, but Tala didn't respond. However, Kai's heart was feeling a whole lot lighter than it hand been in the past few hours. "Tala ... I'll always be here. I'll wait for you to wake up, no matter how long it takes, I will always be here by your side, I promise," he stroked Tala's hair gently, and whispered into his ear, "I love you."

With that, Kai leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, while his free hand started caressing Tala's handsome face. Kai finally understood why Tyson was always the way he is ... now, he too had something to live for. He felt himself drift off into peaceful slumber, dreaming of the day that they would finally be together with nothing keeping them apart. Not human nor mechanical ... that would truly be the day that Kai Hiwatari, high fidelity grump extraordinaire, would finally admit that he was happy.

_'Tala ...I love you.'_

* * *

**End Part 2.**

Who do you think saved Tala?


	3. Imaginary

**Disclaimer**: Oh all right. I don't own Beyblade. Happy?

Deleted lyrics, might make no sense at all!

**Final Part.**

**Part 3: Rei - Imaginary.**

* * *

--

Two weeks had passed and Tala's condition still had not improved, fortunately, it had not deteriorated either. It had just ... stayed the same. He was still on the ventilator and hadn't regained consciousness, but the doctors were optimistic. Kai had stayed by his side the entire time, leaving only to go to the bathroom and when Bruce Granger had literally thrown him over his shoulder and taken him to get some rest.

Rei leaned against the door of Tala's ICU room, watching on sadly as Kai kept a civil watch at his bedside. He sighed dejectedly and pushed himself off of the doorframe and walked away.

After Kai had left with the doctor to see Tala, Mr. Dickinson had informed them to the current situation and how the Demolition Boys had gotten away from Boris.

His answer had shocked all of them.

"Voltaire had saved Tala!" Was the one question on everyone's mind.

According to Mr. Dickinson and the BBA, Voltaire had returned to the Abbey to reprimand Boris on his loss at the Championships and the reason why the Russian police is now hunting him down, but what he found, shocked him. Voltaire had discovered the brutal punishing of Bryan, Ian and Spencer at the hands of the guards and immediately sent them away. In an act of selflessness, he had called the police and ambulance to get them to the hospital, not realizing that by doing so, he had turned himself in.

Voltaire is an evil man, but even his wickedness had its limits, and torturing innocent children was it.

Apparently, Voltaire had long wanted to leave the Biovolt Corporation, but stayed on because he had invested his entire fortune in it. And to abandon it, would mean instant bankruptcy. Which was something a member of the Hiwatari clan knew nothing of.

Rei shook his head slowly; the idea of Kai's evil grandfather helping someone was still hard for him to believe. He told Kai about it a few days ago, but Kai didn't believe him, or he didn't want to believe him. Rei didn't know. Kai was such a mystery to him. From his past, the way he is and his family. But one thing he had been sure of for quite a while was that Kai had feeling for the redheaded captain of the Demolition Boys, and vice-versa.

Rei sighed, fully knowing that his feelings could not compare theirs, that he had no chance of getting Kai to return his feelings. But lately, the thought hadn't disappointed him as much as it used too, not since that day he had walked into Bryan's room. He had been admitted for a fractured pelvis, a few broken ribs, a concussion and some minor internal injury. Thankfully Voltaire gotten there when he had, or else ...

Rei shuddered at the thought. _'Boris is a creep.'_

He had apologized profusely after accidentally tripping on a over turned IV stand and went sprawling into Bryan's room, though, the lilac haired blader had found it to be pretty funny and started snickering. Rei, who was pretty embarrassed at his entrance, just stayed on the ground too dumbfounded to move. After that they both had started talking, and Rei found that if he wasn't ordering his bit-beast to rip you to shreds, Bryan could be a pretty nice guy, much to the disbelief of the others, especially Tyson.

For two weeks now, Rei had visited Bryan where they both chatted. Bryan apologizing for nearly killing him three times, and Rei apologizing for Tyson, who still skeptic of Bryan and the others trustworthiness and kept peeking in and giving him odd looks a few times.

As the time passed, Rei found that the pain he felt was slowly going away. A new feeling was taking its place. Rei didn't know exactly what it was. It was like a fluttering feeling in the pit of his stomach, strangely enough, the feeling only came when he was around Bryan.

Unknown to him, he was slowly developing feelings for the lilac haired blader.

_--  
_

It was time to celebrate. After four painful weeks, Tala had finally woken up.

Kai was ecstatic and this time, the feeling was one he couldn't conceal. His happiness showed on his features and in his body language. The team felt happy that their Captain was happy.

It had happened suddenly that morning. Rei had been there.

Kai, as usual, was seated next to the bed, keeping a vigil watch over his lover. Tala's hand constantly clutched tightly with Kai's own.

Rei shook his head sadly. Even though in the four weeks they had spent together, he had started to slowly develop feelings for Bryan, he could not help but feel a slight pang of jealousy every time he sees Kai's eyes shine with lust whenever he looked at Tala. Rei knew that he shouldn't, but somewhere deep within his heart, he had hoped that Tala would not survive. Then maybe, Kai would come to him for comfort, to help heal his broken heart. But every time those thoughts surfaced, Rei would shake them away. He knew, that if Tala were to leave this earth, Kai would follow him, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

Rei sighed and was just about to turn to leave when he heard a shocked gasp coming from inside the room. His head snapped back, and saw to his astonishment, Tala's eyes were open. Kai was leaning over him, staring; too overcome with shock to speak. Rei moved his body too the right a bit so that he was hidden behind the wall and just watched them.

Kai just stared at Tala's icy blue orbs with disbelief, but as quickly as the feeling came, it was gone. Kai's eyes started to glimmer with happiness and unshed tears. His lips slowly curled into a smile.

"Tala ..." he whispered just loud enough for Tala's ears. Kai reached over and stroked his cheek with the back of his hand, "I missed you, Tala."

Rei watched them, sadly.

Tala's eyes also started to fill with tears, and he looked up at Kai.

Kai, unable to hold himself back anymore, leaned over and wrapped his arms around Tala and pulled him into a hug. Tala, too weak and injured to move, just let himself be hugged by the one person he had been dreaming of in his slumber. He felt cool droplets of water drip onto his hair and smiled. "I ... missed you too ... Kai ..." he whispered out, his voice hoarse, but Kai heard him nonetheless.

"Tala." Kai said, bring up Tala's face to meet his own. His usually blank face, shining with joy.

"Mmm?" Tala replied, feeling himself to drained to give an answer, and savoring the warm and safe feeling he was experiencing in Kai's embrace.

"I love you." He hugged Tala tighter, but at the same time, careful as to not aggravate his injuries. Although it had been four weeks, and most of the wounds were healed or were healing, Tala had suffered traumatic internal injuries as opposed to the others he received at the hands of the cruel director. Kai did not want to hurt Tala even further, so he was cautious of his own strength.

"... I love you too ..." Tala leaned back into the embrace, burrowing his face into Kai shirt and promptly fell into a peaceful slumber.

Kai looked down at sleeping figure of his lover, and rested his head on Tala's. He ran his fingers through the soft red strands and leaned back against the wall. With his hands still gripping Tala's form firmly, he too fell into a peaceful sleep. The first on he's had in a long time. His heart finally at peace, knowing that the love of his life, was finally safe and in his arms.

He would never let go again.

_--  
_

Rei backed away slowly from the door, soft tears threatening to spill down his face. He knew Kai loved Tala. He thought he could handle it for when time came that Tala would get better, that Kai would take him and leave for a faraway place. He thought he was ready to hear the truth coming from Kai's mouth ... but he wasn't.

Each word uttered was like a double-edged sword stabbing him through the heart and was being twisted around. He shook his head, and with one look at the occupants of the room, he ran.

He didn't know where he was headed, nor did he care. He needed to get away from there as fast as he could. He ran around for then minutes, until his whole side started to burn. He finally stopped in a hallway when his heart could not take all the blood that was being pumped anymore, and felt like it was going to explode.

He looked around at the white, empty hallways, likening it to the state of his heart.

Rei took a deep breath. He could no longer hold in the sadness he felt. He leaned his back against the wall and slid down to the floor. He pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his face in the palm of his hands. He sobbed as the pain and anguish that he had been feeling over the past month finally coming back to plague him.

He wanted someone to be there to comfort him, to tell him that this wasn't the end of the world. But that one person wasn't there. He was never going to be there, and Rei was left all alone to drown in his misery. He felt like retreating back into his dreams, where Kai was his, and only his. The world he had built himself, to escape the harsh truth that was reality.

Because in reality ... he had no one ...

"Rei?"

His red, puffy eyes looked up slowly, only to stare into concerned lilac ones.

No ... he _did _have someone.

"Bryan ..."

His eyes started to water even more; he looked away and put his head back in his hands.

Bryan stood perplexed. Nothing that he had been thought at the Abbey had prepared him in how to handle raw human emotions. He didn't know what to do. He wanted so hard to do something, to comfort him in someway, but he didn't know how. It was never part of the training at the Abbey. He dug deep into his memory for something to help the situation.

He vaguely recalled something Ian had said a long time ago when they were still new to the Abbey.

_"When I was sad ... my mom would hug me to make me feel better."_

A hug. That was what Rei needed.

Bryan didn't know the reason for his distress, but subconsciously, he could guess. He kneeled down before the boy, and, though somewhat awkwardly, pulled him into a gently hug. Rei seemed a bit shocked at first, but soon eased up and leaned closer to Bryan, his head rested his shoulder. His breath hitched and he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

Bryan sighed. "It'll be okay." He whispered into Rei's ear and rubbed his back.

Slowly, the tears stopped flowing, and Rei began to feel a little better. He felt comfortable in Bryan's arms; it was like it had been made just for him. Bryan's strong arms held him tight, ensuring him no harm.

It was then, that Rei realized, that hard as it may be ... everything would get better.

--

Rei and Bryan stayed like that for what seemed like eternity. Rei, who had obviously tired himself out with the entire running and crying episode, fell asleep in Bryan's arms.

He sighed, for once agreeing with Boris. '_Emotions really are bothersome_.' He looked back at the sleeping boy in his arms and shook his head, '_Kai ... you are such a heartbreaker_.' He slipped his arms under Rei's legs and back, and slowly stood up, Rei still in his arms.

He looked down to the crutch under his armpit and sighed again. "How am I supposed to get back to the room?"

After a few tries, he decided to give up and just fell back into one of the plastic chairs that had been lined up there.

He looked down to the serene face of the boy, who he had almost killed, he mentally added. Rei looked so peaceful when he was asleep, as opposed to all the emotions swirling around in his eyes just a moment ago. When he thought back to the determined opponent he faced at the championships before, and back at the fragile looking figure in his arms, he would never have thought them to be the same person.

Rei had looked so calm and collected back then, but just now ... Bryan shuddered at the thought of what emotions could do to someone. He could not help but imagine himself in Rei's place, sobbing like there was no tomorrow, just because the person he loved did not return those feelings back. Bryan knew how Rei felt, more so than the boy could ever imagined.

He too loved someone who didn't love him back. Bryan, though, was not as distraught as Rei. He had always known that you couldn't always have what you want. He believed that.

Tala's heart is and will always belonged to Kai.

A sudden stirring in his arms caught his attention. He looked down to the golden eyes of Rei.

Rei blushed crimson and stood up. He took a seat next to Bryan, not daring to look at the other boy, or too ashamed.

Bryan smirked. "You're not the only one that that's happened to."

"What?" Rei asked confused, his eyes looked at Bryan for a second before turning away when he turned to him.

"Kai."

"Oh ..." Rei looked at his feet.

Bryan's gaze lingered on him for a long second before standing up. "Let's do lunch."

"Huh?" Rei was half-shocked at the sudden change in subject.

"Lunch. You know, when you eat food during the day, so that you don't starve before you get to dinner," he raised an eyebrow, "do you know food? It's the –"

"I know what lunch and food is." He replied, standing up.

"Good. Then lets go get some. I'm starving." Bryan winked at him cheekily.

Rei just stared at the retreating form of Bryan, puzzled, but soon smiled weakly and dried off his puffy eyes.

Yes ... he could get through this.

--

Two weeks later, the Tala was finally fit enough to leave the hospital. The other three had already left the previous week, but the doctor wanted to keep Tala longer for observation. He had no complaints for the matter since Kai had agreed to keep him company.

Mr. Dickinson had rented four rooms at the finest five star hotel rooms available for the boys to stay while waiting for Tala to be released.

Now that Boris had been arrested, and set to start the beginning of his fifty-year jail sentence, the Abbey had been shut down. All the boys were sent home, and those who didn't have a home, were put in a special orphanage that was sponsored by the BBA.

Voltaire had been given a lighter sentence due to him turning himself in, and because of the statement that Mr. Dickinson had given at the trial. He was sentenced to twenty years in prison, but was eligible for parole after ten. All of his assets were left to Kai, as was the Abbey. Kai handed it over to the BBA to be reconstructed as a training place for amateur bladers. He didn't want to ever be associated with the place ever again.

Ian and Spencer stayed in one room. Tyson, Kenny and Max in the other. Rei had insisted he have his own room, which he shared with Bryan.

Mr. Dickinson only snickered cheekily when Rei had walked up to him, blushing greatly, and stuttered out his request. Unbeknownst to Rei, he had known of the boys' feelings towards Kai, and could only watch sadly as he fell deeper into his misery whenever anyone mentioned Kai and Tala. Mr. Dickinson cared deeply for his team, though, Kai a little more than others since he had known him the longest. But he still felt whenever one of them was sad.

But ever since Bryan's appearance, Rei had not been as sad as Mr. Dickinson had seen him earlier. He had been pretty shocked at first when Rei had asked for Bryan to be his roommate, truth be told, seeing as their first encounter hadn't been the most pleasant of the kind. But love had always a strange way of making itself known.

They were now all gathered at the airport, prepared for their final goodbyes as most of them were going their separate ways.

Kai and Tala (as Rei had expected) decided to leave for New Zealand where Voltaire had a summer home. Ian and Spencer were going with them, seeing as they had no other place to go. Kai finally believed that Voltaire had turned a new lead, and before going to the airport, he had taken another route and went to visit him in the Lubyanka, a Russian prison where he was serving his sentence. Kai had thanked him, for saving Tala, and agreed to come visit him from time to time.

Voltaire in turn, had apologized profusely for his actions, because he was too greedy and selfish to realize. He apologized because when he did realize that his actions meant dire consequences for others, it had been to late to take it all back. Kai was touched by the amount of emotions his normally strict grandfather was showing, that he momentarily let his guard down ... saying that when the time came that Voltaire had completed his sentence, there was a possibility of rekindling their lost relationship. Kai was, in fact, Voltaire's only living blood relative, and vice-versa.

Because, as Kai realized, no matter how much he hated Voltaire, there was somewhere deep in his heart where he knew, he still cared about his grandfather.

"Make sure you take some photos of the Lord of the Rings locations." Max chirped up. Kai just sighed at the over ecstatic boy and nodded.

Max was going with his mom back to America for a few months. His dad was already there.

"I'm really looking forward to some good old ramen." Said Tyson rubbing his stomach.

Tyson and Kenny were returning to Japan. Along with Mr. Granger and Bruce. Since his contract with the BBA research expedition had expired, he decided to spend more time with Tyson to get to know him better.

Mr. Dickinson said that he had business to take care of in South East Asia, and will soon drop by to see the boys when he was done.

"I'll miss you guys."

Rei ... well ... he had managed to talk Bryan into returning with him to China. The boy had been hesitant at first, but after some begging on Rei's part, he agreed. Some down-to-earth, technology free atmosphere was something that he needed to get himself into shape.

Rei looked over to Kai and saw that Tala's hand was grasped firmly in his own. For once, Rei noted that he didn't feel anything ... not anger, nor jealousy. To him, now, they were just a couple, like him and Bryan. His relationship with Bryan was going slowly, but at least it was going. That's the reason whey he insisted Bryan return with him, so that he could spend more time with him ... alone.

The time had come. Kai flight was leaving the same time as his was.

He hugged a tearful Max and Tyson. "Don't worry, guys, it's not like we won't see each other anymore."

Tyson then went over to Bryan and held his hand out. Bryan smirked, but took it anyway.

"Guys ..."

The three of them turned to Kai.

"Watch yourself –" He managed to say before Max and Tyson jumped over and hugged him. He just sighed exasperatedly and allowed them to do so.

"That's really cute, Kai." Tala snickered from beside him.

"Are you jealous, Tala?" Kai mocked him playfully.

"No –"

"Of course he is. This is Tala we're talking about," Bryan walked up next to Tala and smirked at him, "I'm surprised anyone actually dared to lay a hand on his Kai?"

"Shut up, Bryan."

"See, Kai?" he nudged his head in Tala's direction.

**FLIGHTS 619 FOR NEW ZEALAND NOW BOARDING AT GATE NUMBER THREE AND FLIGHT 752 FOR CHINA NOW BOARDING AT GATE NUMBER SEVEN.**

"That's you, boys." Mr. Dickinson said to Kai, Tala, Spencer and Ian then Rei and Bryan

"Take care of yourself, Bryan." Tala held his hand out.

Bryan took it graciously. "You too, Cap."

"Watch yourself, Bry." Kai nodded to him.

"I'd say the same to you, Blue. And don't do it, too much." Kai elbowed him in the stomach, but had an amused look on his face.

After they had all said their goodbyes, Kai and his group left for gate three while Rei and Bryan in the opposite direction.

A few meters into their way, Rei stopped and turned back. Bryan looked on, puzzled at his action.

"Kai!" he jogged up to him.

"Huh?" Kai turned back.

"I ..." Rei looked like he was making his mind up about something. Suddenly, Rei leaned over and gave him a peck on the cheek.

Kai looked shocked at his actions, but before he could do or say anything, Rei just grinned and ran back to Bryan, without looking back.

"What was that about?" Kai looked at Tala.

Tala just sighed exasperatedly and looked at him. "You really don't realize?"

"Realize what?"

Tala just shook his head and walked away, Ian and Spencer followed, sniggering, leaving the confused Kai staring at their retreating form.

"Tala!"

"Satisfied?" Bryan asked when Rei reached him.

"Pretty." He smiled and took Bryans hand in his own and led him to the plane.

On the plane, Kai was still bugging Tala about his answer before. Tala just shrugged it off and continued his staring out the window. After a few more tries, Kai gave up and leaned back in his seat.

Tala turned his attention to Kai, his eyes glinting deviously. He leaned over to Kai, and Kai, fully knowing what was about to happen, smirked and leaned closer to him.

While on the other plane, the same thing was going on with Rei and Bryan.

The two couples got in closer to each other, their noses almost touching and in a split second, they kissed.

Soul met soul on lover's lips.

* * *

**_The End._**


End file.
